1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to building component connections and, more particularly, to a connector plate for connecting two building components.
2. Description of the Invention Background
In the building industry, it is common practice to form the roof of a structure from support members known in the industry as xe2x80x9ctrussesxe2x80x9d. In general, a truss typically comprises a collection of interconnected members made from metal or wood. The trusses are supported on the tops of the building walls, and decking materials, also formed from metal or wood, are attached to the trusses to form the roof surface. In some applications, it is advantageous to attach various different types of trusses in order to achieve a desired roof configuration.
A variety of connectors are available for joining a supported wooden truss with a main supporting truss that are used, for example, in the construction of roofs for buildings. Metal connectors such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,116 and 5,380,115 were designed for wood frame trusses, which typically comprise bulky members with rectangular cross-sections. As noted above, roof trusses have also been fabricated from metal materials. The building construction industry has found metal trusses to be typically lighter in weight than comparable wooden trusses and metal offers superior fire retardant characteristics. Wood or metal trusses must also be supported and stabilized during their interconnection to other portions of the building.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,076,325 and 5,806,265 disclose a metal gusset for joining first and second abutting trusses. The gusset includes a slot that is adjusted to fit over an upstanding flange of a bottom chord of a truss to which the gusset is mated, so that the gusset hangs from the upstanding flange. Two gussets are used to connect a secondary truss to a primary truss. This type of connection requires the gussets to be aligned and the trusses must be stabilized while effecting the connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,306 discloses a one-piece metal connector for connecting a supported truss to a lower chord of a supporting truss at an angle, the lower chord having a cross-section disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,927. This connector includes a first rectangular plate, which engages with the lower chord member of the supported truss, and a second rectangular plate, which is fastened to the web of the lower chord member of the supporting truss. The connector also includes a first flange overlying in engagement with the flange of the lower chord member of the supported truss, and a second flange, which extends over the lip of the lower chord of the supporting truss and above the level of the lip of the lower chord of the supported truss. Such connection still requires stabilizing the trusses during alignment and connection.
There remains, therefore, a need for an improved connector that can be used to connect building components, such as trusses or joists and overcomes limitations, shortcomings and disadvantages of other connectors.
The various embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein meet the identified needs, as will be more fully understood following a review of this specification and drawings.
One embodiment of the invention includes a building component connection comprising a first building component, a second building component and a connector plate. The first building component has a first web and a first leg that extends generally outwardly from the first web, and a lip protruding from the first leg. The lip defines a toe-receiving area between the first web and the lip. The second building component has a second web and a second leg extending generally outwardly from the second web. The connector plate comprises a back plate, which defines a toe that is sized to be received in the toe-receiving area of the first building component. The back plate also has a bottom edge, which is received on the second leg of the second building component, and may have a middle edge. The middle edge and the bottom edge define a planar notch sized to receive a portion of the lip of the first building component.
The connector plate may further include a side flange protruding from a side of the back plate for attachment to the first web of the first building component. It may also include a toe flange that protrudes from the toe and is sized to be received on the first leg of the first building component, a bottom flange that protrudes from the bottom edge of the back plate and is sized to be received on the second leg of the second building component, and a middle flange that protrudes from the middle edge of the back plate. The middle flange and bottom flange define a spatial notch that is sized to receive a portion of the lip of the first building component. The planar notch on the back plate is the trace of the spatial notch. The middle flange may be continuous with the toe flange, and in one embodiment it forms an angle of 150xc2x0 thereoff. In another embodiment, the middle flange is parallel with the toe flange.
Another embodiment of the invention includes a method of attaching a first building component to a second building component by providing a connector plate having a back plate defining a toe, and a toe flange, a side flange and a bottom flange, with the flanges protruding from the back plate. The first building component has a first web, a first leg extending generally outwardly from the first web and a lip protruding from the first leg to define a toe-receiving area between the lip and the first web, and the second building component has a second web and a second leg that extends generally outwardly from the second web. The method also includes supporting the bottom flange on the second leg of the second building component and fastening the back plate to the web of the second building component. The method further includes inserting the toe into the toe-receiving area of the first building component, supporting the toe flange on the first leg of the first building component and receiving a portion of the lip of the first leg of the first building component in a notch defined between the bottom flange and a middle flange. In addition, the method may include fastening the side flange to the web of the first building component.
It is a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a connector for interconnecting a variety of different building components that is easy and safe to install and economical to manufacture.
Another feature of at least one embodiment of the invention is to provide a connector for interconnecting building components that provides rigidity and support to the building components and allows one component to be supported on another component during installation and before final attachment.
Accordingly, various embodiments of the invention provide solutions to the shortcomings of other building component connectors and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, however, that these and other details, features and advantages will become further apparent as the following detailed description proceeds.